Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1887-03-14
Communicated
Low Fares tho More Profitable.

an exception to your statement that
"the Short Line has made converts
OF us all" IL ever the warmth OF
a cordial greeting and enthusiastic
hope was chilled by disappointment
in d community, such was the feel
ing in Annapolis when the an
nouncement Of the high rate Of fare
and the time table Of the "Short
Line r. II. was made.
The "Morning Herald's' article
you quote expresses what were the
fond hopes Of our citizens. For
forty years the A. & T.. X. r. has
exacted the highest rates OF fare
while selecting the most inconven-
lent hours for morning trains both
from Annapolis and Baltimore,
practically discouraging the use of
the road except as an absolute ne
cessity and almost prohibiting a
daily intercourse between the two
cities. But are we any better off
now with our new line? 1t would
almost seem that the now fashion
able rage for everything from New
York, has induced both roads to
adopt the Vanderbilt phrase as their
motto, ''D-n the public!'
The Development of our town
and county, as presented by the Her
aid, as a consequence of the Short
Line, depends on establishing
community of interest and easy in
tercourse between the metropolis
and the capital of the State.
The rs cents difference offers no
special inducement to prefer the
Short Line and the morning train
is as inconvenient as ever. A cheap
fare is the first essential and expe-
rienoe proves the wisdom of making
a road popular and its use easy and
habitual to all classes. During sixty
days of last summer ten thousand
tickets were sold between Annapo
lis and Bay Ridge, at a season too,
when our population is depleted by
the absence of very many citizens,
and during the vacation of the Ma
val Academy and st. Johns, con-
sequence of cheap fares.
With the present rates the Short
Line will be where it is now at the
end Of five years, and perhaps bank
rupt, as there is nothing calculated
to build up business in the policy
of exaction and encouragement.
There is nothing to invite travel,
and the road will only be used as an
expensive necessity.
Let us suppose a different policy.
Mr.. A. lives here and has family
Of five. Now, he goes to Baltimore
when compelled, as seldom as pos
sible, and alone. 1t is too expensive
q luxury to take or send his family.
Your II. r., has one occasional Gus
toner. But put your fare at so
cents the round trip, Tor all tickets
so cents,) Dir. A. goes whenever
business, inclination and the amuse-
ments of the city attract him. He
takes his wife or family. You have
sir customers for your one, and they
go often. Then they have friends
in Baltimore. One family, or that
number of their friends, return
their visits. Noic, too serious an
expense to our Baltimore friends.
This at least doubles your number
of fares and instead of the one, soli-
tary and seldom, you have dozen
who use your road often, regardless
of the expense, although really
spending thrice what they do now.
The habit established, you find
permanent profit in the settle
ments' along your line and here as
q suburb, or indeed part of Balti-
more. YOU would have In a few years
. population double the present.
Freight business would proportions
ately increase and your empty trains
with ssselect few would be filed
with lively crowd of active people.
Your r. r. Presidents may theorize
as they please on so much mile, =
etc, but the loscer the rate the great
er the aambor Of passengers. On a
road that must depend on the in
crease Of population on its route
and at its terminus for success, it
would certainly be wise to consult
the people Of Annapolis and give
some heed to their peculiar needs,
III evsSn whlnls, If such be to their
.kssssk m~vN .~s4~s~w nphhws. E vaR.wp ~